News Details

PEMA to Participate in Public Demonstration of Emergency Communications

​News for
Immediate Release

June 27,
2014

PEMA to
Participate in Public Demonstration of Emergency Communications

Harrisburg – Staff and volunteers with the
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency’s (PEMA) Auxiliary Communications
Service will be demonstrating the commonwealth’s amateur radio capabilities
during an annual “Field Day” at PEMA headquarters near Harrisburg.

The public
is invited to observe the activities, which will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, June
28 and end at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 29 at 2605 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg, PA
17110. Field Day is the climax of the week-long “Amateur Radio Week” sponsored
by the American Radio Relay League (AARL), the national association for amateur
radio.

Pennsylvania
is home to 25,515 licensed amateur radio operators, often called “hams.” Many
of them provide backup communications for emergency responders throughout the
state. Using the call sign “K3P” for this event, PEMA’s Auxiliary
Communications Service will join with thousands of others amateur radio
operators showing their emergency capabilities.

Using only
emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in
parks, shopping malls, schools and backyards around the country. Their slogan,
"When All Else Fails, Ham Radio Works” is more than just words to the
“hams” as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of
phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised
during a crisis.

Amateur
radio is growing in the US. There are now over 700,000 amateur radio licensees
in the US, and more than 2.5 million around the world. To learn more about
amateur radio, go to www.emergency-radio.org.